PERAC Memo #18 - 2020: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 2nd Quarter 2020

Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 2nd Quarter 2020

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Summary

Q2 2020 mandatory board member training memo listing exclusively online education opportunities due to COVID-19 restrictions. Notes that the state of emergency alone will not justify waivers of the 3-credit-per-year requirement; includes pre-approved online trainings from PERAC, PRIM, the Ethics Commission, OIG, and OAG. The June MACRS Conference status remains pending.

Full Text

Memorandum Memorandum #18: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 2nd Quarter 2020 Date: 03/30/2020 Referenced Sources: PERAC Website PERAC Memo #18, 2020

Skip table of contents Table of Contents To All Retirement Boards: Commission Members Downloads To All Retirement Boards:

top Table of Contents To All Retirement Boards: M E M O R A N D U M

TO: All Retirement Boards

FROM: John W. Parsons, Esq., Executive Director

RE: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 2nd Quarter 2020

DATE: March 30, 2020

First, I would like to acknowledge and commend the dedication and diligence shown by retirement board members and staff during these unprecedented times. Your perseverance and flexibility are allowing the retirement community to continue to meet its mission.

Chapter 32 mandates that retirement board members complete training during each year of service on the retirement board. This requirement has two elements: 18 credits over the course of the member’s term and at least 3 credits in each year of the term. In light of current circumstances, we are only listing online training opportunities at this time. All trainings listed will earn the board member three credits each.

The online opportunities will remain, and hopefully things will return to normal and we will be able to offer in-person trainings as usual.

The law states that failure to earn three credits per year or 18 credits for the term prohibits the member from serving beyond the conclusion of the term for which the training requirement was not met. PERAC authored a provision in the law by which a board member can appeal for a waiver from the requirements for extenuating circumstances. Please know the state of emergency of and by itself will not be grounds for approval of such a waiver request.

If warranted, we will issue an additional Education Memo outlining any in-person presentations. The centerpiece of our second quarter training has historically been the June MACRS Conference. We will notify you of plans for that event when a decision is made by MACRS whether to go forward.

On a related note, the PERAC Emerging Issues Forum is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2020.

If a certificate of completion is offered for training not directly offered by PERAC, you must submit it through PROSPER for proper credit. Otherwise, please submit the Training Affidavit in PROSPER.

Thank you for your efforts in fulfilling these and all of your duties as a board member.

I. Pre-Approved Online Training (available year-round)

Organization Topic How to find webinar: State Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Law Training Note: board members must take this training every two years https://go.usa.gov/xpPxD and select State/County or Municipal employee to view appropriate webinar PRIM Executive Director Update 4th quarter 2019 https://www.mass.gov/service-details/q4-prim-webinar
Office of the Inspector General How to be an Effective Public Board and Commission Member https://tinyurl.com/IG20abc to view webinar Office of the Inspector General Contract Administration for Public Employees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db6_JtvbPRQ Office of the Attorney General Open Meeting Law Training https://go.usa.gov/xpPx5 to view. You must watch all six videos National Council on Teacher Retirement Setting the Discount Rate – A Balancing Act www.nctr.org/government-relations/federal-webinar/ and enter the password: nctrinsight National Crime Prevention Council Investment Fraud Prevention Program https://tinyurl.com/NCPC-perac Download and review all five pdf presentations PERAC Various Webinars Available Please copy link to view https://go.usa.gov/xpPEn Unless otherwise noted, all PERAC webinars can be viewed for credit. US Department of Health and Human Services Security Awareness Training https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-etc/security-awareness/index.html